Minutes of the November 14, 2000 SGB EC Conference Call

1) Review status of current action items -

The following action items were reported as completed:

Action: SGB Leadership should forward candidates for the Reviewer Database Committee to follow-up on this issue. Reassigned to Chesnais for follow-up and clarification. (7/22/99).

Action: Ellis to appoint a committee to recommend methods and formulae to allocate DL surplus among SIGs. (2/5/00)

Action: Chesnais to bring change in SIGACT mission statement to ACM EC for approval. (8/8/00)

Action: Furuta to follow-up with SIGCHI leaders on status of bylaw changes. (9/12/00)

Action: Baglio asked to bring copy of action list to SGB EC meeting.

Action: Chesnais to amend allocation back-up documentation per the suggestions of the SGB EC.

Action: Baglio to provide a total of 30 minutes for portal/publications/hub activities on the SGB Agenda.

The following action was reassigned:

Action: Notkin to gather best practices for SGB leaders for posting on SGB Web-site (10/2/99). Reassigned from Chesnais on (11/14/99).

The following actions were added:

Action: Baglio and Notkin to work on setting up call schedule before and after March 11th SGB EC meeting.

Action: Klein to inform SIGAPL Leaders that the SGB EC is concerned with their slipping publications schedule.

Action: Chesnais to put up conference call scheduler.

2) SIGSAM extension of terms -

Furuta reported that the SIGSAM Chair made a late request to extend the terms of the SIG leaders. Term extension requests are rare for SIGSAM and Furuta saw no reason not to recommend approval. It was understood that SIGSAM would incur the cost of distributing a postcard to their members.

Motion: Move that the SIGSAM executive committee be permitted to extend their terms of office for the next 2 years.
Furuta, Notkin
unanimous

Action: Baglio will inform appropriate staff at ACM HQ and will distribute a postcard to SIGSAM members informing them of the extension.

Action: Furuta will inform Rob Corless that the request for extension of terms was approved.

3) SIGCPR's concern about minimum allocation

Klein reported that Fred Niederman of SIGCPR had contacted him. He is concerned that the new allocation minimum will wipe out SIGCPR in a handful of years. During the SGB meeting a motion was passed ensuring that no SIG fail before July 2003 solely due to financial problems caused by the new allocation system. Niederman asked the SGB EC what the next step would be. Members of the SGB EC discussed several possible ways to handle those SIGs that would have financial difficulty:

  1. Have SIGs exhaust the funds in their fund balances and then ask for assistance.
  2. Have SIGs pay what they've paid in the past for the next 2 years and have the SGB fund balance cover the rest. It would be their responsibility to bring their SIG to the point where they could afford to pay the minimum.
  3. Have SIGs pay double what they've paid in the past for the next 2 years and have the SGB fund balance cover the rest. It would again be the SIGs responsibility to bring themselves to the point where they could afford to pay the minimum.
  4. Recommend the formation of an umbrella SIG
  5. Recommend other formats for the SIGs in trouble
  6. Recommend other areas within ACM, outside the SIG area where these communities could run their programs

The SGB EC members decided to discuss this issue further via e-mail.

Action: SGB EC is to exchange e-mail regarding the SIGs that will request assistance with the minimum allocation for FY'02 and FY'03.

Action: Klein to inform Neiderman that the SGB EC is discussing the minimum allocation and those SIGs that will require assistance in FY'02 and FY'03.

4) SIGCHI's request for discounted dues structure for economically developing countries-

SIGCHI requested that they be permitted to develop level pricing in economically developing countries just as ACM has. The SGB EC was supportive of this. Baglio was asked to make a recommendation on implementation with the understanding that all SIGs could request this. It was understood that the change could be made for July'01 and included in CHI's FY'02 budget.

Action: Baglio to make recommendation for SIGs on implementation of level pricing in economically developing countries.

5) New SIG on Uncertainty and Artificial Intelligence -

Feldman reported that he is still working on this issue.

6) Publications Report - Publications Advisor Cohoon to lead discussion (5 min)

Cohoon reported on the following actions from the recent publications board meeting:

ACM is planning to modify the digital library to include live links for the reference section. This is to cost several hundred thousand dollars. This will make every paper in the DL more valuable. SIGDA has agreed to put up $50K to support this endeavor and has encouraged the other SIGs to help financially.

The Transaction on Internet Technology has been established as proposed. The Chair of SIGCOMM is concerned that there is overlap with TON.

Action: Chesnais will work with Snodgrass to address the concerns of SIGCOMM leadership.

ACM has decided to discontinue the ACM Press Books agreement with Addison Wesley.

The publications board is addressing LaTeX submission issues. The goal is to come up with a process so that there is no retyping of papers.

 

Participants:

  • Donna Baglio
  • Alan Berenbaum
  • Alain Chesnais
  • Jim Cohoon
  • Stuart Feldman
  • Rick Furuta
  • Bruce Klein
  • David Notkin
  • Mary Lou Soffa
Absent
  • Carla Ellis
  • Stephen Hayne
  • Mark Scott Johnson